Product Video Reviews

Shoei Hornet-DS Helmet

Can’t make up your mind on if you want to play off-road or go riding on the street? Now you don’t have to, the SHOEI HORNET DS offers riders the ability to ride off-road, with the option of wearing goggles, and get out on the street with the protection of a full faced visor. The HORNET truly embodies what a dual-sport helmet should be and bridges the gap between the street and off-road.

Features

Have you ever been cruising down the highway on your street bike when out of nowhere you spot some off-road terrain that looks absolutely irresistible? We have, which is precisely why we created the Hornet-DS. Bridging all gaps between road and off-road riding, the Hornet-DS boasts an outstanding list of features that includes AIM+ shell construction, SHOEI’s exclusive 3D Max-Dry Liner, and a wind-tight flip-up shield that offers the versatility of using goggles in dusty conditions. The only helmet for serious dual-sport riders, the Hornet-DS comes complete with everything but a set of knobbies.

Designed for the adventure touring and dual sport market, the Shoei Hornet DS Helmet can be used in three configurations: with visor and shield, with just shield, or with just visor

Fully removable 3-D interior, with 5-layer cheekpads that are channeled for eyeglasses

Breath guard and chin curtain included

DOT and Snell 2010 Approved

Semi-Dual EPS Liner Ventilation System

3D Max-Dry Liner System

Fully Removable / Replaceable Interior

Cheek Pad Channels For Eyeglasses

Visor Air Intake

Cross Vortex Rear Exhaust Vent

Aerodynamic Visor

C-49 Shield

Complies with FMVSS218 (DOT) and Snell M2010

AIM+ Shell Construction

3 Different Helmet Configurations :

Visor & Shield
Visor Only
Shield Only

Face Shield Defogging Vent

Upper Air Intake

Lower Air Intake

Chin Curtain

Neck Outlet Vent

5-Year Warranty

Size Chart

Wrap a tape measure horizontally around your forehead. Select the helmet that is the closest fit to that size. A helmet should fit snug on your head. If it moves while wearing, it is too large. If it is painful to wear, it is too small.

The Shoei Hornet-DS motorcycle helmet is an excellent choice for the avid dual sport or adventure touring motorcyclist looking for an ultra-premium helmet for both the dirt and the street. The DOT and SNELL rated shell is constructed using Shoei’s proprietary Advanced Integrated Matrix, or AIM + material. It’s available in five solid colors including this Matte dark grey and in sizes double extra small to extra-large. These sizes are split between four different shell sizes, making the fit very precise. The helmet has an intermediate to long oval head shape and the fit is accurate to the size chart.
The shield and visor design are usually the biggest attraction to this style of helmet, and make the Hornet very versatile. You can obviously wear this helmet as you see it, with both the visor and faceshield installed. On the legs of your trip that are ridden primarily on dirt, you can wear just the visor. You can also wear just the shield on the legs of your trip where asphalt prevails. There are a few steps to making these changes, but the process is easy. To remove the visor, start by removing the clear nylon screws out of the sides of the helmet. Then, pry this plate off of the top vent mechanism, starting at the front. Finally, remove the clear nylon screw here at the top. The vent assembly will come off with the visor, so if you are planning on wearing the helmet without the visor installed, you will need to install this rubber plug into the vent hole. Reinstall the two nylon screws using the included side plates to take up the space the visor left. To use the visor only, remove the shield from the ratchet plates and reinstall the visor in the normal way. No other hardware or side plates are needed. Reinstall the top vent cover plate from the back to the front, clicking the tabs in from side to side.
Let’s look at some of the features we just glazed over in a little bit better detail. The C-49 faceshield of the Hornet is optically correct, and available in three versions. You can get a replacement clear shield, a light smoke shield, or a Pinlock ready clear version. Pinlock insert options include clear, dark smoke, and yellow. This shield design also accommodates the use of offroad goggles, making the transition from on road to off road riding seamless.
The ventilation of the Hornet is still some of the best in this helmet category. The chin vent has two positions and a diffuser in the chinbar channels air to the shield through the breath guard through this filtered passage. The filter can be easily cleaned by removing it and rinsing it with warm water. There are also two, three position forehead vents that channel air directly to the head. One of the more trick features on the Hornet is this top vent. Many dual sport helmets have to leave the top vent off because it interferes with the visor connection. Shoei took the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach, and incorporated the two into one system. There are also two position exhaust vents on the rear of the shell to extract warm air.
Finally, if we take a close look at the liner system, we can see that the material is designed to be very absorbent, and the cheek pad foam is three dimensional, for a precise fit. The cheek pads utilize the familiar three-snap system, and pull out easily for cleaning. The headliner unsnaps at the rear with a full eye port width plastic band at the front. With the headliner removed, you can see the dual density expanded poly styrene safety liner with channels to funnel air throughout the helmet.